Teen Expeditions
For over 100 years Orkila has been a place where young people can explore their connection to the outdoors and learn more about themselves. Orkila’s Teen Expedition Program aims to build upon these ideals by taking our teenaged participants out into the San Juan Islands to help them grow in their understandings of leadership, service, and outdoor stewardship. Each year a community of staff come together to achieve that goal, guiding teens on biking, challenge course, sailing, and sea kayaking adventures and helping them achieve more than they ever thought possible. An Orkila Expedition doesn’t just build technical skills, it also encourages deep introspection and personal growth. Our teens leave with a broader sense of themselves as individuals and how they can be a positive force in their communities.
Expedition and Leadership Programs at Orkila provide teens from age 13 and 8th grade the opportunity to travel in spectacular places with a group of their peers and with skilled staff. Almost all programs begin and end at Camp Orkila with the majority of the time away from camp traveling by foot, boat, or bike.
*Biking & sailing programs not happening summer 2024
Program Overview
Basic Daily Program Structures
Expedition Program Structure
Teen Expedition Programs are structured in the following manner.
Each day campers begin the day with SMB (Spirit, Mind and Body), which is designed to give an opportunity to move around, think and reflect on the world. This is followed by breakfast and traveling for the day. As part of the travel day, campers will learn new skills during skill sessions and practice drills. The day is concluded with dinner and evening circle. Evening Circle is a time to reflect on the day, discuss issues related to the 5 core values of the YMCA and look at what will be happening the following day.
Teen Expedition Programs are open to all 13 to 17 year olds. Previous participation at Camp Orkila is not required in any program. In general, 7-day programs are for first time expedition members with little or no skill or experience in a particular activity. 14-day programs are for older campers who have some experience in a particular area. This is important because it allows the group to do more with the time they have. Longer programs are for the oldest campers and are generally not suited for participants who are doing the activity for the first time. The Islanders program requires participants to apply and interview.
Types of Programs
Leadership Development Institute
San Juan Kayaking & Islanders
High Altitude Leadership 2.0
Our LDI program is our most popular type of course. They are either 2 or 3 weeks and combine wilderness leadership and kayaking with a leadership focused traditional camp experience. The wilderness component includes an overnight trip to Moran State Park or Point Doughty in addition to four to seven days spent out in the islands. While at camp, we utilize a full challenge course, structured youth work activities, and whatever intentional programming you can dream up. LDI programs typically participate in service projects and activities with other groups around camp.
Our San Juan Kayak and Islanders expedition courses spend most of their time out in the field – staying at camp just the first and last nights of the program. San Juan Kayak programs are 1 or 2 weeks long and the Islanders course is 4 weeks. Instructors use the wilderness to teach peer to peer leadership, wilderness travel, skill in sea kayaking, and help our teens better learn themselves and how to work with others.
Our HAL 2.0 program, sometimes called HALDI, is a 2 week course that spends most of their time at camp. Instructors use the challenge course to develop teens leadership, communication styles, and facilitation skills. HAL 2.0 campers will engage in team building initiatives that they later help to facilitate for younger campers. HAL 2.0 has at least one offsite, overnight experience and also participates in service projects.
Staff Schedule
Throughout the summer, staff may lead a combination of LDI, San Juan Kayaking, Islanders, and HAL 2.0 programs. Between trips, when not on days off, staff will work in other areas of camp including supporting food and gear pack outs in Outtrip, working in traditional camp cabins, and working with our Day Camp program. Staff will also have pre and post days for most trips to plan, pack, clean, and debrief. Day off schedules vary based on the trips an instructor is working. For LDI and HAL 2.0 programs, instructors will take days off during the “at-camp” portion of the program and will also have days off after the trip for the time spent off-site. For San Juan Kayaking and Islanders programs, staff will take all of their days off after the trip.
The Orkila Way
The Orkila Way is the specific ways that campers at Orkila set up camp and take care of equipment. For example, during kayaking programs, there is a specific way that boats are loaded and unloaded, moved, and a standard for cleanliness that each boat must meet each day. These practices help campers learn to take care of equipment and promote the longevity of the equipment.
All Expedition Programs
Expedition Programs at Orkila are designed to provide teens with dynamic opportunities to:
Work in and lead small groups
See beautiful places
Create new friendships and renew old ones
Learn outdoor skills
Understand in concrete ways that each individual is capable, strong and important in the world
Learn and practice elemental concrete practical skills like cooking that show each person they can take care of themselves and others.
Develop an understanding of their fundamental beliefs.
Learn the ORKILA WAY of traveling as a group and lightly on the beautiful places we live.
Applicant Information
Outdoor Logbook
Certifications
Camp Orkila hires on a rolling basis and will continue to accept applications until all positions are full.
All applicants must submit an outdoor resume or log book to Taylor Ladd at tladd@seattlymca.org. If you do not have an outdoor resume or logbook you can download this template. An outdoor resume or logbook is required. We are a novice friendly program and value all experience levels - from day hiking and short outdoor excursions to multi-week expeditions. Your interest and enthusiasm for working with teens in the outdoors is what counts the most!
Because our courses spend multiple days out in the wilderness, we need our instructors to have a wilderness medicine certification. We accept Wilderness First Aid and higher. Orkila can provide a Wilderness First Aid certification free of charge for instructors as a part of staff training.
It is a requirement that each water based course has at least one instructor who has a water safety certification. Orkila can provide a Basic Water Rescue Certification during training.
Find more information on certifications and how to get them by clicking on the button below.
Facilities and Accommodations
Most Teen Expedition campers stay in the Tracy Strong Village at Camp Orkila in open-air cabins sleeping 10 to 12 campers and 2 staff.
Cabins are non-gendered. Campers change in the bath house at Tracy Strong Village.
All cabins have a locked storage area for campers and staff when they are not at camp.
Each cabin has wooden bunks with foam mattresses. Bunks are two high.
When groups are in the field they stay in organized city, state, federal and private campgrounds. Groups sleep under tarps, which they set up. Staff sleep in a separate tarp from campers. There are no tents in teen programs.
Teens have access to the heated bathhouse in the Tracy Strong Village. The individual showers are covered, open air facilities on the outside of the building.
Housing is provided for the entire duration of a staff contract including on days off and in between sessions.
While on camp, food will be served in the camp lodge. While on trip, meals will be cooked, usually on a camping stove, by trip leaders with the assistance of teens.